Check-till.



G. HUTH.

CHECK TILL.

APPLIUATIOR FILED JAN. 6, 1912.

1,131,381. Patented Mar 9, 1915.

4 BHBETFBHEET l.

G. HUTH.

GHBGK TILL.

urmouwu nub JAN. 6, 1912. 1,1 31,381 Patented Mar. 9, 1915. W W 4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

E I Q R5 (:0 PHOTC-LITHQ, WASHINGTON, D. c

G. HUTH.

CHECK T-ILL.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 6, 1912.

1,131,381, Patented Mar.9, 1915.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

NE MORRIS PETERS 00.. PHOTO-THO. IAsl-HNGYUM. D. L-

G. HUTH.

CHECK TILL.

APPLICATION TILED JAN. 6, 1912.

1,131,381. Patented Mar. 9, 1915.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

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THE NORRIS PETERS C0,, PHOTC-LITHQ, WASHINGTON, D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GUSTAV HUTH, OF CHARLOTTENBURG, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR TO THE FIRM OF H. ARON ELEKTRIZITATSZAHLERFABRIK G. M. B. 1-1., OE CHABLOTTENBURG, GERMANY.

CHECK-TILL.

. Application filed January 6, 1912.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, GUSTAV HUTH, a subject of the German Emperor, and residing at Charlottenburg, near Berlin, Germany, have invented certain new and useful 1mprovements in Check-Tills, of which the following is a specification.

The subject-matter of my invention is an improved check-till of the type in which by tilting over an operating lever, a segment-gear or toothed rack is positively driven at each bank by means of a driver until, by locking a depressed key or a lock which is to be undone, the driver is disconnected from the said toothed member, 2'. 6. segment or rack. The addition mechanism is actuated in the customary manner by the movement of this toothed member; in contradistinction to well-known arrangements, I arrange a double gear for each bank for transmitting the motion to the addition mechanism, said gear comprising two toothed members coupled together, of which the one operates the indicating mechanism and the printing mechanism, if any, connected with the till, and the other the addition mechanism, so that the addition mechanism is rendered inoperative as soon as the two coupled parts are disen aged. Simultaneously, the axle of the till rigidly connected with the operating lever drives a number of mechanisms which, in check-tills known heretofore, were driven by a motor or by rotating a crank handle or by moving a drawer. Among these mechanisms are the device for unlocking the slide which locks the keys, new switching mechanisms for transferring the tens of the addition mechanism, devices for adjusting and releasing the indicating drums, improved rotatory mechanism for the recording, means for connecting and disconnecting the abovementioned double gear, a switch for business communications and an elevator for various sorts of coins for keeping the money a long time in sight.

One illustrative embodiment of my invention is represented by way of example in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure l is a vertical transverse section showing the various principal parts of my improved check-till when the operating lever is horizontal after a key has been depressed; Fig. 1 illustrates coupling mechanism, shown in dotted lines in Figs. 1 and Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 9, 1915.

Serial No. 669,755.

2, for the indicating mechanism of the banks; Fig. 1 is a diagram showing signal c rcuits; Fig '2 is a vertical transverse section showing most of the same parts as in Fig. 1 but before the operating lever has been tilted down; Fig. 8 shows the device for cutting the tens of the addition mechanism; Fig. at shows switching device bv means of which an advertisement drurh and the elevator for the various kinds of coins are actuated by the axle of the operating lever; Fig. shows mechanism for disconnecting and connecting the two parts of the double gear, and Figs. 6 and 6 are detail views illustrating improved mechanism for converting the rocl-iim motion of the operating lever into a rotatorv motion for the printing and recording mechanism. Fig. 7 is a sectional vi w showing the devices for actuating the. printing mechanism.

Referring to the drawings, by depressing one of the numbered keys 1 of a bank the slide 2 is shifted in known manner so that it prevents both the depressed key 1 and also all the others from being moved. The mechanism for this, indicated in Fig. 1, is well-known and therefore not further described here. The slide 2 of each bank is held in. known manner by means of a catch 3 which is under the action of a spring 1- and coacts with a lug 2 on the slide The arms 3 of all the catches 8 are connected together by a powerful iron band 3 or the like against which bears a releasing key 5 provided in one bank. By depressing this key all the catches 3 can be compelled to release the slides 2 at a suitable time. The slides are then returned in the customary manner by a spring 12 into their rest positions whereupon the depressed keys likewise return into their rest positions. Adjacent the catch 3 adjoining the key 5 is an angle lever 6 which is loose on the axle 3 carrying the catch 3, is under the action of a spring 7 and carries a pin 6 bearing against the catch 3. The lever arm 6 of this angle lever is for automatically disconnecting the catch of each bank when the operating lever is tilted upward; this is brought about by a hereinafter described alternative engagement of the lever arm 6 with a cam III fast on the axle [I carrying the operating lever I.

An angle lever 8 under the action of a spring 8 and serving for locking the key 5 is loose on the axle'3. The one arm 8' of this lever directly holds one part 5 of the key 5, while the second arm 8 bears firmly against the above-mentioned cam III, The key 5 is locked by the angle lever 8 directly after the operating lever I is moved out of its upper position, and this lock is maintained during the entire time the lever I is being moved to and fro and until it is returned into its upper rest position. To thls end, the cam III is shaped in such manner that the arm 8 is located at the position 9 near the axle II (see Fig. 2) when the operating lever I is in its rest, 2'. 6. upper position, but is rocked counter-clockwise by the projection 9 of the cam III as soon as the lever I is tilted downward. \Vhile the arm 8 is in the described position relatively to the cam III shown in Fig. 2, the arm 8 is removed by the spring 8 out of reach of the releasing key 5, so that this key can be depressed in order to disconnect all the catches 3 which may be necessary when incorrect numbered keys have been depressed. The number of incorrect depressions is indicated by depressing the releasing key 5 because this key causes a pawl 5" to rotate a ratchet 5 one tooth, which movement is indicated outside on a dial, not shown, connected with the ratchet. Now in order to cause the cam III to act on the arm 6 of the angle lever 6 I provide on the cam a projection 10 which is so arranged and shaped that when the operating lever I is tilted downward the projection presses the lever arm 6 downward somewhat in order to be able to pass it. The angle lever 6, which is returned by the spring 7 into the position shown in the drawing, then exercises no action on the catch 3. But when the operating lever I is tiltedupward in order to return it into its upper position, the projection 10 seizes the lever arm 6 and drives the same, as indicated by the dotted curves in Fig. 1, when rotating counterclockwise, and the pin 6 of the angle lever 6 compels the catches 3 to release'their slides in the above-described manner. These slides and the keys 1 now at once return into their rest position.

The slide 2 of each bank carries at its upper end a pin 2 projecting through a slot in the frame 11; each pin enters into a hookshaped lever 12 and, when a key is depressed through the slide 2, causes this lever to rock from the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2 into the position shown in full lines in Figs. 1 and 2. In the position of the lever 1 shown in dotted lines its free end 12 constitutes a stop for an angle lever 14:, 14 which is fulcrumed at 14 on the segmentgear 13 and, as Fig. 2 shows, engages with its arm 14:" into a notch 15 in the cam III. A spring 14 tends to maintain this engagement. Now when the end 12 of the lever 12 is in the path of the arm 14: and when the lever I begins to move downward, the angle lever 14 is rocked, its arm 14:" leaves the notch 15 and thus allows the cam III to be rotated by the lever I without driving the angle lever 14: 14:". In this event the segment-gear 13 remains in its rest position because it is driven only when the arm 1 1 engages in the notch 15 in it. The cam III is disconnected from the segmentgear 13 when no key 1 is pressed in the bank appertaining to the segment-gear 13 and the slide 2 of this bank consequently remains in its upper or rest position.

Meshing with the segment-gear 13 is a sector-gear 16 coupled with a sector-gear 18 mounted in front of the latter on the same axle 17. Both segments are loose on the axle 17 through the medium of sleeves 17 to 17 loosely mounted on said axle, as hereinafter more fully described. The sectorgear 18 meshes with a pinion l9 belonging to the counting-wheel of the bank and elastically connected in the customary manner with this counting-wheel in such manner that the counting-wheel can be rotated always only in one direction by the pinion 19 and remains at rest when the pinion 19 rotates in the opposite direction. In Figs. 1 and 2 the numeral 19' designates a spring which may be used in the hereinafter described manner for securing the said mode of connection of the pinion 19 with its counting-wheel.

The counting-wheels of the banks are not to be rotated when money is paid out of the till or when goods are delivered on credit, but in such a case the amount is to be recorded by the till; in such a case the two sector-gears 16 and 18 must be disconnected from one another. This may be brought about in very various ways, for example, by simply holding the sector-gear 18 by means of a click when a ball enters halfway into each of the hubs of the sectors and one of the sectors is elastically displaceable on the axle 17; when the sector 18 is held the sector 16 is not prevented from following the see;- mentgear 13 and the record can take place in the customary manner. Fig. 5 shows a special mode of constructing the coupling between the sector-gears 16 and 18 and the device for disconnecting the same.

Referring to Fig. 5. the hub of the sectorgear 16 has a projection 16 in which is secured the axle 20 of an angle lever 21 pressed by a spring 22. The hub of the sector-gear 18 in front thereof, part of which gear only is shown in Fig. 5. has a shoulder 18 which coacts with the angle lever 21. Below this lever is an axle 23 on which one tappet 24 for each bank is secured and bears against the angle lever 21, as inclicated in Fig. 5, in the rest position of the sector-gears 16 and 18. Fast on the axle 23 is also a lever 25 which can be actuated by two keys A and C. WVhen one of these two keys is depressed the lever 25 rotates the axle 23 so that each tappet 24 rocks its angle lever 21 out of engagement with the shoulder 18 of the sector-gear 18; the two gears 18 and 16 are then disconnected. In order to prevent the same being at once connected again either the key depressing the lever 25 must be locked similarly to the keys 1 (Fig. 1) or the lever 25 itself must be held in its depressed position. The latter case is represented by way of example in Fig. 5. The lever 25 carries on a pivot 25 an angle lever 27 28 so arranged opposite a. cam 29 fast on the axle II that it snaps under the action of a spring 28 into a notch 29 in the cam as soon as the lever 25 is depressed by a key. This position is indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 5. After the lever arm 27 has snapped into the notch 29 and the operating lever I is removed out of its upper position, the axle II at once causes the sector-gear 16 to rotate while the gear 18 disconnected therefrom remains stationary, the cam 29 simultaneously also rotates and immediately thereafter releases the lever arm 27. As soon as this has taken place the lever 25 is pressed by the spring 26 against the keys A and C again. After the sector 16 has been disconnected from the sector 18 and the same are to be connected again in order to record and add a payment, behind the lever arm 28 is a special key 30 by means of which the arm 27 engaging in the notch 29 can be released, whereupon the spring 26 at once rocks the lever 25 back again and the spring 22 causes the lever 21 to snap again behind the projection 18. Some parts of the mechanism shown in Fig. 5 are also visible in Figs. 1 and 2. \Vhen the two sector-gears 16 and 18 are disconnected the former alone is rotated for the purpose of actuating the recording mechanism. Of the three keys B, A and C the first is for recording receipts which must be added, the lever 25 being not used; the key A is for recording payments out of the till which are not to be added but only to be recorded, and the kev C is for recording credit sales. The recording or registering of the amount to be paid is effected by special type disks which are in ccnnectirn with the indicating device. Referring to Fig. 7 each of the drums 48 (Fig. 1) forming the indicating device is provided with a pinion 47 firmly attached thereto; each drum and pinion forming practically one piece, being mounted on a shaft 48*. Each pinion 47 engages a separate pinion 46 mounted on a shaft 46', the said pinions 46 engage separate sector gears 18, 16 firmly mounted on separate sleeves 17 17 17 17* and 17 respectively; the said sleeves being loosely mounted one upon the other and on the shaft 17 engage segment gears 13 on the shaft II. The sleeves 17 to 17 carry each at one end a type disk (Z, c, f, g or h respectively. When the drums 48 of the indicating device are operated to indicate any amount, the type disks (Z to it are simultaneously rotated in such a manner that their types or the like corresponding to the amount indicated by the drums 48, are opposite the paper film 7: on the table 2'. After the type disks have been brought into their proper relative positions, the table 5 is raised whereby an impression of the types is effected on the paper film in well known manner to thus record the amount indicated by the indicating device. When a counting wheel is rotated past the number 9 the next higher tens counting-wheel must be rotated by the former counting-wheel. To this end, each counting-wheel is provided with special feed mechanism represented in Fig. 3. The same comprises two suspended, pivotally-connected members 31, 32, 33 carrying a click 38, a two-armed tripping lever 34, 34, a tappet 35 of the counting-wheel 35 (appertaining to the wheel 19) which passes the nine, and a ratchet-wheel 39 firmly connected with the next higher tens wheel. To this entire device there belongs, in addition, to each ratchet 39 a cam 41 which is fast on the rock shaft 40 and supports and lifts the feed mechanism. The shaft 40 is rocked 180 each way by means of a sector-gear 42 fast on the axle II and a pinion 40 on the shaft 40 while the operating lever I is rocked downward and upward. This mechanism operates as follows :As long as the end 33 of the bent rod 32 is supported by the arm 34 of the two-armed lever 34, 34 the cam 41 can be rocked away from under the lever 31; at the moment when the counting-wheel 35 passes the number 9 the tappet 35 pushes the arm 34 to one side and trips the end 33 of the rod 32. The suspended members 31, 32, 33 descend under the action of the spring 36 as soon as the cam 41 has moved from under the lever 31; this lever then takes up the lowest position shown in dotted lines and the click 38 is prevented from turning the ratchet 39 by the resistance of the same. The cams 41 are arranged displaced i elatively to one another on the shaft 40 in such manner that all the cams can exercise a lifting action on their appertaining levers 31 when the lever I is rocked backward but so, however, that the lever 31 ap pertaining to a first transference of the tens must be lifted first and the levers 31 appertaining to the subsequent transferences of the tens are not then supported and consequently fall freely and can be lifted again. When a lever 31 is lifted the click 38 appertaining to it will drive its ratchet 39 one division. The tappet 35 of the countingwheel 35 may in the meantime have moved some way past the lever arm 34. In this manner all collision in the transferring gearing is completely avoided in all positions. A second sector-gear 43 is firmly connected with the segment-gear 13 of each bank. This second sector meshes with a toothed rack 44 which in turn freely carries a second toothed rack 45. The rack 45 is in mesh with a pinion 46 positively connected in any suitable manner with the indicating drum. In Fig. 1 the numeral 48 designates an indicating drum rigidly connected with a pinion 47, shown only in dotted lines, meshing in the pinion 46. This indicating drum has a slot 48 which is not contacted by the shafts 46 and 50', and the drum is shown so large that it carries on one half of its periphery the numbers visible by the buyer and on the other half the same numbers visible by the salesman. The drum can rotate only half a revolution in eitherdirection. The indication takes place, according to the described arrangement, according as the segment-gear 13 is moved, for the purpose of indicating the number of the depressed numbered key. Engaging with the pinion 46 is a click 50 fast on the axle 50; this axle is prevented from freely rotating by a spring 49, arranged at any desired place inside or outside the till, acting on a lever 49. l/Vhen the operating lever I is tilted back into its upper position the sector-gear 43 returns the rack 44 into its initial position, but the rack 45 must remain suspended in its elevated position, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2, in order that the indication may remain visible until the till is next used; at the moment when the lever I is removed out of its upper rest position for working the till, however, the rack 45 must fall very rapidly and return the indicating drum to Zero in order that the rack can be again elevated and properly bring about the new indication. T 0 this end, I provide a special device shown only in dotted lines in Figs. 1 and 2, its principal parts being clearly shown in Fig. 1 This device comprises not only the abovementicned lever 49 and the click 50 on the axle 50, but in addition the rod 51, the lever 52 which is loose on the round rod 31 and is built up of plates and provided with the claw 52 able to rock like the blade of a pocket-knife about the pivot 53, and also a projection 52 on the lever 52, an angle lever 54, 54 free to rock about the shaft and under the action of a spring 54, and, lastly, an angle lever 55, 56 fast on the main axle II and carrying the pins 55 and 56. As Fig. 2 shows, when the operating lever I is in its upper rest position the click 5O enters into the pinion 46, and the lever 52 is in its bottom position when the claw 52 bears on the pin 55 of the lever 55. The rack is in its elevated position, approximately that shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, while the rack 44 is in its lowest p0 sition. As soon as the lever I is removed from its upper rest position the pin 55 lifts the levers 52 and 49 and disengages the click 50. The rack 45 is released, falls and rotates the indicating drum to zero provided that the lower rack 44 does not approach it too rapidly. For accelerating thefall the rack 45 may be loaded, say by a sufficiently long coil spring 45. When the lever 52 is lifted by the lever 55 the spring 54 acts and rocks the angle lever 54, 54", until now held slanting by the projection 52", from the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1 into the position shown in this figure in full lines, so that the projection 52 of the lever 52 must bear upon the lever arm 54; the click is thereby held disengaged from the pinion 46 until the second lever arm 56 of the angle lever 55, 56 abuts with its pin 56 against the lever arm 54", pushes the spring 54 to one side and removes the support from the projection 52". At this moment the spring 49 depresses the lever 49 and engages the click 50 in the pinion 46 again this pinion and with it the indicating drum is held in spite of the operating lever I being turned into its upper position. When this lever I is returned, the pin of the lever 55 passes under the claw 52 of the fallen lever 52, rotates this claw about its pivot 53 and overcomes the pressure of the spring 53. The latter presses the claw 53 behind the pin 55 back into its outer position, so that the mutual position of these two parts shown in Fig. 2-actually obtains.

The short downward and upward rocking motion of the operating lever has not heretofore been converted into the rotatory motion requisite for the individual mechanisms of the check-till. The reason therefor is probably substantially that the manipulation of the till must be left to persons of very various disposition who cannot alwaysbe expected to operate the handle, in this case the operating lever, perfectly. This circumstance renders it necessary to provide a special conversion gear which preserves a lead in front of the rotating part of the gear. A specially suitable transmission device which certainly prevents trouble even when the operating lever is moved downward in a very defective manner is obtained by connectingv a lever with two toothed racks acting in such manner on feed gearwheels that each of these is rotated more than half a revolution while the racks execute one simple movement. It is only necessary to give the gear wheels a. radius of pitch circle which is not sufficient for the development of the toothing of the rack at a semicircle. Figs. 6 and 6 illustrate a very simple form of such a transmission device, of which the former more diagrammatically than constructively represents the engagement of two gears 57 and 58 with a ratchet 59 between them on the same axle. The ratchet is here shown as a ratchet 59 provided on both sides with radially-directed ratchet teeth in which mesh the ratchet teeth of simple narrow fiat springs 57 and 58. This is the same arrangement mentioned above with reference to the connection of the gear 19 represented in Fig. 1 with a counting-wneel. In Fig. 6 this arrangement is partly shown in dotted lines. when the lever IV fast on the axle II of the operating lever rocks to the left it rotates the gear 57 through the medium of the rack 60 to the right the gear through the medium of the reel 61 1 left. The spring 57" slides over the radia teeth of the ratchet 59 without driving tl: latter, while the spring 58 rotates thi. ratchet. When the lever IV is rocked to the right, however, it rotates the gear 57 to the left and he gear 58 to the right, when the spring 57 rotates the ratchet 59 while the spring 58 slides thereon. According to Figs. 6 and 6 it is assumed that the two gears are loose on the axle of the ratchet 59 appertaining to any rotating driving mechanism.

In order to connect with the till a device calling the attention of buyers in succession to novelties in the business I provide a special advertising drum provided with a number of fiat divisions of equal size, sav 8 spaces. This drum is designated 62 in Fi 4. A ratchet 67 is fast on the aXle 62 of this drum and in addition a lever 63 carrying a click 6% is loose thereon. This lever 63 is connected by a connecting-rod 65 with a crank fast on the axle II. The dimensions and the relative positions of the two arms (33 and 66 are such that whenever the operating lever I is rocked out of its upper into its lower position, the ratchet 67 is fed one tooth corresponding to a rotation of the indicating drum 62 one division. The axle 62 may carry a second drum 68 for driving an elevator for sorting the money. The elevator comprises three or more adjacent endless belts 69 each of which carries a number of buckets 7 0 respectively intended for gold, silver and copper coins. The coins are sort ed so that they at once fall within reach of one of the three belts carrying buckets. WVhenever the till is operated the inserted coins are moved downward only one division at a time so that they are traveling for some time. The casing of the till has a glazed aperture at the place where the buckets move downward, so that the customers who pay can see what coins they have tendered for a number of minutes after they have made their payments. The endless belts 69 carrying buckets pass below over a second drum 71 which does not require to be fast on its axle 71. When the buckets pass over the drum 71 they are emptied and then move reversed upward and turn again into the receiving position on the drum 68.

In order that the principal can at any time be acquainted at a distance with the receipt of specially large payments or other special business transactions I may arrange that by depressing a key of a bank for large amounts or the like the slide 2 closes an electric circuit comprising two conductors 72 and 73. The one conductor 72 may be arranged on the descending locking slide 2 while the other conductor 73 is fixedly mounted. A colored incandescent lamp 75 in the office of the principal may be connected in the circuit which is closed in this manner and fed by a source of current 7 1-. In addition, I may arrange that in a business in which several salesmen or persons, as e. g. waiters in a hotel, have an interest in observing the operation of the till owing to a share of responsibility resting with themselves, for each individual sphere of observation a special signaling circuit is closed which lights up a lamp intended for the responsible observer. To this end, a special bank with observation keys will be arranged, and it will be the duty of the cashier in his own interest to depress that key for which a receipt or payment or the like is to be recorded, before numbered keys of the other banks are depressed. The signal circuits for the observers are diagrammatically indicated in Fig. 1 at 76. In the event of such an arrangement being made it will, in general. be necessary to provide each individual locking slide of the till with a circuit-closing device of the kind 72, 73.

I claim 1. A cash registering apparatus comprising abank of keys, an operating shaft,a recording mechanism. an indicating mechanisnnmeans interposed between the keys and the operating shaft to connect and disconnect said shaft with the recording mechanism for said keys, a spring-pressed pawl for locking the indicating mechanism in its set position at the completion of the recording operation. and means for releasing said pawl, said locking and releasing means comprising the lever 52, angle lever 5th and 5t" and the arms 55 and 56 carried by the operating shaft.

2. A cash registering apparatus comprising a bank of keys, a main operating shaft, a lever connected therewith and adapted to move forwardly and backw rdly to rock said shaft, a recording mechanism, an indicating mechanism, a double segmental gear loosely mounted on the operating shaft, means controlled by each key for effecting the connection and disconnection of the double segmental gear with the operating shaft during the forward movement of the operating lever, a two-part rack having one of its parts connected to the segmental gear and its other part operating the indicating mechanism, means for returning the said racks to their normal position independently of each other, means for locking the indicator mechanism upon the completion of the indication and means operating to release the indicator at the beginning of the forward stroke of the operating lever, means to restore the keys to their normal position at the beginning of the backward movement of the operating lever and means to connect the segmental gear to the operating shaft during the backward movement of the operating lever, whereby the two-part operating rack Will be returned to its normal position.

3. A cash registering apparatus comprising a bank of keys, an operating shaft, an operating lever connected thereto adapted to move forwardly and backwardly to rock said shaft, a recording mechanism and indicating mechanism, means operable through the rock shaft for actuating the recording and indicating mechanisms, means for connecting the rock shaft to the indicator actuating mechanism during the first part of the forward movement of the operating lever and disconnecting it therefrom after a predetermined movement fixed by the keys in the bank, means operated during the forward movement of the operating lever to release the indicator mechanism, means to quickly return said mechanism to normal condition, and means for setting the indicator mechanism during the completion of the forward movement of the operating lever, and means for locking said indicator mechanism and holding it looked until the beginning of the next forward movement of the operating lever.

In testimony whereof, I alliX my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

GUSTAV HUTH. Witnesses:

WOLDEMAR HAUPT, HENRY HASPER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, I). C. 

